Thursday, December 2, 2010

Preterm Labor Day

In the last week or so I have been struggling to keep the preterm labor away by staying off of my feet, but I knew that it wouldn't work for long! This weekend I started contracting even when I had been resting all day...then on Tuesday night preterm labor hit full force, even when I dosed off during the night the pain worked it's way into my dreams. How crazy is that? So yesterday I spent most of my day at the doctor's office as a work-in appointment, and I left with a new preterm labor medicine.

Since I had Madeline (five years ago) the treatment for preterm labor has changed a bit. At this point in my other pregnancies, I would start Brethine pills and use those until they didn't work anymore. When those didn't do the job any longer I would get a Brethine pump and stay on that until the baby came (around 35-36 weeks). This time the doc put me on a new-ish preterm labor medicine which has traditionally been used to lower blood pressure, Procardia. They say that in most patients it seems to do the job with less side effects than brethine. Brethine is kinda like taking speed, so it makes me shaky and I can't sleep! The usual side effects for this stuff is dizziness, headache, and weakness, and they said that those should get better with time. It's definitely got me feeling pretty weak, but the headache only seems to last for about thirty minutes after the meds kick in. It's no big secret that I HATE taking medicine, but as long as I have this old body I will need the help of modern medicine to keep me pregnant until it's safe for Baby to come.

So I said all of that to ask if any of you have been on this medicine before? Are there any tricks that I need to know that may make me feel better? Did you have a good experience?

Thanks for letting me ramble friends! I may not be around for a day or so while I rest and try to get feeling better... I'm hoping it won't be long. xo, Sam

10
comments:

Samantha,I was on Procardia for my Preeclampsia but it made me have crazy swelling and I had to switch meds(my legs seriously looked like elephant trunks--they were afraid they were going to burst), but other than that, it worked. (It was also a little tough to focus when I was on it...and Labetalol too)As long as you don't have the swelling issues I did (and I was already swollen from the PreE so that probably had an effect on me too!), then I'm sure you'll do just fine.:-)

Nope. I was in preterm labor with India 19 years ago and things were very different then, so no experience with that for me. But I just wanted to say that I am praying for you and the health of this precious little one. I was never a good girl on bed rest but I know you will be. Your crochet looks gorgeous!

With my twins, I was on the Brethine, pills, until they quit working, pump until it quit working- I had one mag-sulfate wash at about 29/30 wks. The Brethine quit working at about 34 weeks, the boys were born a couple days after I was off meds. That was 14 1/2 years ago.

I certainly hope this medication works for you. Please refresh my memory: how many weeks are you now? I am praying for you Sam, I know what stress preterm labour is to a Momma, got to keep that {those in my case} baby in and growing. It's so hard on the Momma.

Well, I am a OB RN. We give Procardia all the time. I can't recall the last time we gave anyone Breathine. We even give it to our patients who have intrauterine fetal surgery to keep the labor away. I haven't had many patients complain of specific side effects. Main thing to remember is bed rest and to drink a lot and often!

Oh no! I will keep storming Heaven with prayers that this little one stays put for a while longer. I have no experience with those meds as I have the opposite problem, but keep your feet up and rest, rest, rest!

Hi SamI am glad you are going well & have the medication to keep the preterm labour at bay. The first tablets you mentioned sound like what I was given both times I went into labour with the twins. Praying for you & baby!Take care & keep rested - have a nice weekendRenata:)